Trusting My Senses
by TheOneInBetween
Summary: When there's a demigod of Hecate around, everything is an adventure. And according to Evelyn's senses, things are never the way it seems. NOTE: This is the continuation of "The Secrets of the Journal," which was told in Alexis' point of view.
1. Part 1 - The Manticore

_Run. Don't look back._ As the footsteps from the monster seem to grow louder and closer, my speed increased along with it. _Thump, thump, thump._ Oh gods, it's getting closer... The thought of the Manticore could almost feel my flesh startled me. In a split second, I followed my first instincts and jumped up, towards the branch of the tree that was above me. I made sure my grip was tight, because in case the Manticore came, I wouldn't fall off and accidentally expose myself by landing on top of it. I think if that were to happen, there's a high chance I would end up dead. I was close to being dead by his hands before.

Here's how I got here in the first place: Whenever I get a hold of new spells, I would take a walk and find inspirations (it helps me get an idea of what it could be used for). Believe it or not, I got distracted by a silvery pointy thing within the first minute or so of scouting. I know I was doing this with total ignorance but I still went after it. As I peeked around, a glint from the silverware-like object caught my attention. The silvery pointy thingy looked as if it was swinging; so in a way, it's sort of acting like a rope, however it's not as..._flexible_ than a real one. It looks much scarier than a regular tail; I guess it's because it's armed, like it was ready for a fight at any moment .

A voice in my head told me to not go closer but my legs moved by itself, ignoring the voice in my head. As I approached closer to the object, the shape and structure of the creature appeared to be longer and bigger than I thought it would be; and before I knew it, a bull-headed furry lion-like creature was standing in front of me. (I think the name for this monster is a Manticore.) _Oh great, just my luck._ For some reason, my brain didn't register what was happening at that exact moment, and without any warning, the Manticore threw something at me. I lifted one of my hands and immediately knocked it away. When I took a look at my hand, it was burned. My eyes glanced to the sides and I spotted a wooden stick with an on-going fire. I realized that the thing I am facing wasn't a creation (well, it could be); it was a monster. Most monsters are pugnacious towards demigods- or things that are unknown to them; for the most part, their targets end up dead. As you can see, I am a smart and safe kid. You can always trust me. _Not._

Anyways, the Manticore seemed to not notice me at first, so, as usual, without thinking much of what I was doing, I climbed down as quietly as possible. I don't know how and I don't know why but before I could figure out what was going on, the monster came charging at me. It left me with no time to react. To add to the confusion, I heard a tree branch snapping. _Who can that be? _I quickly looked toward the direction as to where the noise came from. _Strands of blonde hair, just a tad bit taller than me, the smell of pillows..._ "Wyatt! What are you doing?!"

Judging from his smelly odor (it might be the Manticore) and how he is breathing, you might think this guy is having an asthma attack. "What does it _look_ like I am doing to you?"

"Oh, right. How did you- ahh, whatever."

"Now that we've got that cleared up, help me defeat it. Don't just stand there like a lump!"

At the mention of that, I flinched and jerked back a little. "Right... Hey! I'm not a lump!"

"Then stop standing there!"

"I will!"

_Ok...ok...so what can I used to defend myself? Quick! _Approximately 2.5 seconds later my head clicked. _The watch!_ It was as if my hands acted on its own; they immediately clicked the red button located on the watch; the watch popped out and slowly unfolds until it transformed into a crossbow.

_Now, let me do my routine... Should I warn Wyatt? Hmm...he'd probably just shout at me. _After adjusting my bow, I raised it up and aimed at the Manticore's head; I released the arrow and it landed on the target I had in mind. However, judging by the angry growl, I think that only made it angrier...

"Great job, Evelyn. You just provoked it!"

"Uh...hold on...wait!"

My eyes darts to the left and right, I was hoping to see if there is any weapon I could use. I scanned through the whole area and a glint caught my eye. I made a run for it and grabbed whatever item it is. _A sword, it's a sword... _Based on the celestial bronze material that the sword seem to be made of, it might be capable of doing something more than provoking the Manticore. Since I didn't exactly have all the time in the world, I had to think fast. What might increase the chances for causing damage to the enemy? Well, the only power I really have is magic. So why not use it? Then, I looked at the sword. I knew what I could do! I lifted my hands and placed it close to the sword. Then, I inserted some of my magic into the weapon. I wasn't 100% if it'll work because it's always unpredictable when it comes to magic. You never know what might happen next. Or what might go wrong.

"Wyatt. Try to not stand in the way when I am about to do this!"

"Do what?"

"You'll see."

Before letting him answer, I charged toward the Manticore and jumped onto its back. My hands firmly grabbed ahold of the monster's fur and I tried to not lose my grip without being swung around too much. The Manticore roared tried to make me fall on my face - exactly what I didn't want. "_Stulti Carcer!_" The bull headed monster struggled to change his position. _Ok, this is going well so far...wouldn't want it to go on a crazy spree now._ The spell I casted would make it so that the legs will feel like lead: in other words, it could not move. I guess being trapped in place might possibly freak an individual out. (I did, in fact the whole Hecate cabin did, when Melee accidently casted the spell on us...)

With the bronze sword in my hands, there's one left thing for me to do. I raised the sword that I have been holding onto with one of my hands and inserted it into the Manticore. It went through, right into the center of its back. From what I could figure out, the pain made it harder to move, but it got a better balance (it might be because it was no longer glued to the spot he was standing in, I might have accidentally lifted the spell because I was really focused on trying to enchant the monster with the weapon). Even though the Manticore didn't exactly noticed my existence right after it gained control of its balance, I could tell it was questioning the extra weight on top of it. With the tables flipped around, it was my turn to cry out. "Wyatt! Help!"

He sighed and shook his head. "I knew it. Gods help us."

"Why would we need help for this?"

"Should I remind you...even though the monster might had given us the impression of wanting to kill us, squash us, or whatever it does to make us suffer, you still never know if there's something else it had to do. It could be working with Gaea for all we know."

I sighed and said, "True..."

"Anyways, demigods and people could all die from a variety of situations. They could even die from a small bite from a dog!" Later on he added, "You know, you might not stop bleeding."

"Right, yes. Thanks for the thrilling reminder."

"No problem. Just making up for your loss time during class. The notebook is there for a reason, right?"

_Is it that obvious?_

Since my defensive weapon is gone, I can only try to cast spells again. _Ok so let me see what I can-_ My thoughts were distracted by the position Wyatt got into. He raised his spear and hurled it violently toward what seemed to be where Mr. Bull-Head's face is located. The spear gashed the flesh near the creature's left armpit.

"Wyatt. Just to let you know, I am currently sitting on it. Don't accidentally throw harmful weapons at me. Just saying."

"Right! I know that. I just thought you'd be fast enough to dodge it," he told me as he laughed.

"Oh good, for a minute there, I thought you forgot I was here."


	2. Part 2 - Throns

I'm not sure if I should say "Yay!" or "Oh gods." because when a weapon strikes a monster, it can either 1. make the monster weak, or...2. drive it mad, more than before. (I know the monster did that previously, but I just want to restate it...) Strangely enough, Mr. Bull-Head did both. At first, it flinched and then it made an attempt to swing and hit anywhere and anything it could. Unfortunately, the tail hit Wyatt's arm; he cried out when it scraped the edge of his arm. Thankfully, it didn't pierce through. However, by the look of it, the thorn didn't do much harm to Wyatt's arm. From what I remembered however, I overheard an Athena kid talking about how the thorns of a Manticore could be deadly. It might even cause death. My eyes shifted to Wyatt immediately.

"Wyatt! Are you-" before I can finish my sentence I was almost thrown off of Mr. Bull-Head. Guess what? Being almost thrown off can be worse than being actually thrown off. Why? Oh, just, you know, I am hanging onto the upper region of one of its legs. The Manticore doesn't seem to be happy when I did that. (Maybe it was thinking: Seriously, what do I have to do for you to get off of me?) You don't like that? Well...how about this? I hopped onto its' back-side once more by doing a 360 degree backflip. Then, I raised my sword and pushed the blade even deeper than I did from previous.

The good thing is, the monster stopped releasing thorns out of his poisonous tail. I sighed in relief and jumped off of the furry monster. What should I do now... Quickly! I have only have exactly 0.2 sec- Ow! I looked at my left hand which is where the I felt the pain. A burn...when did I get a burn? Then suddenly I remembered. The fire caused it. The fire...I can use fire! I can set the Manticore on fire! Well, if I go with that option, the fire might devour the whole forest, and I would be the one who's responsible for it. Ok, here goes nothing… I closed my eyes and said, "Incantare: Templum Incendere!" Then, I opened my eyes and waited for the fire to stirr. Judging from how the monster is acting, it must have felt that something might be coming. Just as soon as I started to worry that my spell had failed, the fire burst to life as it danced its way around Mr. Bull- Head. Before it can react any further, I made the fire bigger so that it'll get a better chance of being burned alive. Exterminating things amused me for the majority of the time, but for some reason, it felt different this time. Maybe it's because I am anxious about being killed by the hands of the Manticore. I had a apprehensive feeling about it... I couldn't quite put my finger on what it is I am suspicious about.

Now...is there anything I forgot about- Wyatt! Oh gods, don't tell me he's dead... With that note, I sprinted toward Wyatt and helped him up. "Please don't tell me you're dying. I don't want to be the one who gets to report your death."

Wyatt stayed quiet. I frowned and shouted, "Wyatt! Wake up!" Maybe this was the fear I had...maybe- He groaned as if lifting his head and opening his mouth is as painful as being turned to a whale by Mr. D. "What in the world are you talking about Evelyn?"

"Oh good, you're up. Ok, now, I got to get you to the infirmary. Like, right now. Don't make any comebacks. Do anything you can to stay awake. If you have to, pinch yourself. Got it? Good."

Wyatt nodded at what I said. I scanned through my head - trying to think what spell can help with the situation. I mean, I can try to carry him home...but the monster drove us into the forest pretty deep. Confession time: I'm lost and I don't think I remember the way back. Once again, you can always rely on me. I sighed and looked down; just before I thought my brain stopped working, I spotted footprints. Footprints! I can use a spell that will lead us back to where we came from, by looking at the trail of footprints! "Ttatnuates Ttiow!" (It means "footprints back.") I hope this will work… Without meaning to, I squinted and sort of closed my eyes. I guess I was afraid that I mixed the spell up... (I was worried that I might have, accidently casted a spell that summoned giant lions.) A moment later, the footprints glowed bright red. I sighed in relief.


	3. Part 3 - Trusting My Senses

Following the trail, I managed to get back to camp while carrying an almost unconscious Wyatt. I turned back to check on him if 1. he was still there, and 2. to see if he was still breathing. From where I was standing at, I spotted a girl whom I sort of recognized. I've seen her with the Apollo kids, so I'm guessing she's in Apollo's cabin. She has light brown hair with unmissable blue eyes. The girl somehow gave me a positive feeling and energy; I guess it's the same with most of the Apollo kids. Their dad is the sun god after all.

"Hey! Can you help?" I did my best quickly-please-I'm-dying-here voice.

Within seconds, the girl came over and said, "Whoa! What the Hades happened?" I changed my position so she could see Wyatt. "Oh gods. We need to get him into the infirmary; that wound does not very look comforting."

I nodded and followed her lead. "What's your name? I'm Evelyn, and my friend, who is currently losing conscience here, is Wyatt." Wyatt tried to say something, but all that came out was a weak "Eyiiie." The girl replied, "My name is Alexis. Nice to meet you guys."

Suddenly, out of the blue, I was seeing flashes. The Big House...the creature...and the girl! "Wait a minute, we met before… You were the girl that stopped the creature! I helped, if you remembered…."

Alexis frowned and thought about what I said; after a couple of seconds she answered, "Did you made the creature freeze? Wait! Did you find out what it was? I passed out after running away from the Big House."

"Hmm…. To be honest, I never really paid attention to it…. Although, I can feel that it might be a creature of the dark. I don't know how or why I could sense it, but I just have this feeling. By all means, I can be wrong."

She nodded and opened the door of the infirmary for us. Without hesitation, I found an empty bed and settled Wyatt onto it. Then, after finally lifting him off my shoulders I pulled up a chair and sat by the bed. I looked in Alexis's way and asked her, "You're in the Apollo's cabin, right? Do you think you can heal him?"

Alexis looked at Wyatt and his wound, she did that for a couple of times. Then, she faced me after making those few exchanges, "I might need others' help. If you really want me to try, I can, but just saying, I don't think it's gonna do much. Healing isn't my exactly my strong point."

"How do you know unless you try?" I took a deep breath and spoke again, "He can't die, not yet."

"I agree 100% that every demigod is worth saving. I will try to heal him Evelyn, don't worry."

Suddenly, my eyes were watering. I blinked multiple times, trying to push it back in. Why did Wyatt help me? If he hadn't though, I could've been dead by now. I also wouldn't felt guilty for him getting injured...

As Alexis gathered supplies, she asked me, "Are...you ok?"

I stayed silent for a bit before answering, "Not really, to be honest. The wound is really bad isn't it? I knew it, I shouldn't have asked him to distract the monster for me..."

"You can't hold yourself responsible for his injuries. He was just- "

"-unlucky..." I laughed after finishing the sentence for her.

"What's so funny?"

"Wyatt is the son of fortune, and occasionally luck. Him being unlucky? That's a bit…strange." What if he gave me the luck? Pssh, that's a crazy thought... Or is it? "Trust your senses," that's what one of my siblings once told me - Melee, I think.

Alexis sighed and said, "Well, life changes like the weather. You know how people always say the future is yet to come? Don't always think of one outcome. There are a variety of things that can happen."

I looked at her and thought of what she said. For some strange reason, I feel like she's trying to tell me something, but then again, it might just be me. (I get these so called "feelings" a lot. Maybe it simply has to do with my way of thinking and perspective on things.) Don't over-think Evelyn. Stop doubting everything!

"So…what did you mean by you can sense that the creature was a creature of the dark?" Alexis asked.

I imagine myself standing in the Big House and how I managed to aim at the entity. Ok, so the entity was around 4 inches tall, it had fur and…it also had this…spiky tail. By the look of it, it seemed like it was afraid and startled by the light: especially when Alexis managed to turn all the lights on. The figure must have sensed it was Alexis who did that. That might be why it tried to eliminate her... Hmm... Maybe…maybe that's one of his weaknesses! I re-phrased what I thought and explained it to Alexis what I went over in my head.

"So…there's a high chance that it's a creature of the dark; since it's startled by the light. It wanted to kill me because I was the source for the light…. Do you know anything else? Like, where it might have came from? When or who released it into the camp?"

"Truthfully, I have no idea…but do you want to try to ask others? Maybe we could get some answers from them? However, I don't think it's a good idea to leave Wyatt alone."

"Here, tell you what, we'll switch. You take the first shift on watching Wyatt and then after about thirty minutes to forty minutes I will come back here and then we can rotate. Does that work?"

"Sure! Oh and…thanks, for taking care of him...and for trying to help."

"It's no problem really. I like helping people. Besides, I want to figure out this whole thing with the Manticore and entity too. It's sort of been bothering me since the incident. I would really like to finally get some answers."

I stayed silent for a bit. I debated if I should tell her what I thought. I guess was having doubt because I didn't believe in my senses. "Trust your senses," a voice echoed in my head. That hit me. For crying out loud,just say it, I told myself. "Ok. Here's what I think..."

Alexis' head shot right up and nodded reluctantly as if her head gesture was telling me: Thank goodness, thought you would never come around!

"I think the Manticore had to do with the entity that attacked the camp from earlier on. I know it might sound a bit crazy, but remembered I said I had a feeling? Well, I get these feelings quite often and occasionally, I can sense something that's out of order when they might be coming." Maybe listening to my senses isn't such a bad thing. Maybe this is the first step to solving the mystery, along with many other challenges that I might or not not face in the future...

"So...do you believe me?"

**_To be continued..._**


End file.
